Data from Boomtown highlights growing demand for regional and small
businesses to adapt to new shopper and diner technology expectations

June 27, 2018 07:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new report released today finds that technology is becoming an
increasingly integral part of shopping and dining experiences for
Americans, and in turn, technology successes and failures are seriously
impacting whether consumers return to a store or restaurant.

Nearly half of consumers say that positive experiences due to
well-functioning technology lead them to greater brand confidence (46
percent) and more frequent visits to the business (44 percent).
Conversely,

negative experiences due to malfunctioning technology result in a
decline in brand confidence and less frequent visits to the business for
more than a quarter of consumers (28 percent), the report says.

Respondents identified a strong preference for brands that make
widespread use of advanced, reliable and intuitive technology. These
brands, which are often called ‘digital forward’, include stores and
restaurants like Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Shake Shack, Chipotle and
others, and are gaining the business and loyalty of today’s consumers.

According to the Boomtown report, consumers who frequent large chain
establishments over smaller businesses name technology as one of the key
aspects of their in-store experience, highlighting a range of digital
payment options (critical to 57 percent of consumers), online ordering &
local pick up capabilities (important to 50 percent), self check-out
options (important to 49 percent), and other digital offerings like
in-store Wi-Fi and real-time order information.

But the report also found that delivering a technology-driven customer
experience can be fraught with risk. According to the survey, over 80
percent of consumers have encountered technical issues at retail stores
and restaurants, and the consequences of a failed experience can be dire
(including complaints, as well as a decline in business and brand
reputation).

“These findings confirm that the digital transformation of the consumer
experience is fully underway and that businesses - from small, regional
shops or restaurants to national, consumer-facing chains - must invest
in their technology to court and keep consumers,” said Alfred ‘Chip’
Kahn IV, CEO and founder of Boomtown. “But, investment in
technology-driven customer experiences creates complexity and risk,
offering the opportunity to please the customer but potentially
imperiling customer relationships if the promise falls short.”

Other key findings from the research include:

When shopping or eating at large chains, 57 percent of consumers
prioritize a wide range of reliable digital payment options as central
to their overall experience

After a positive experience involving technology, 63 percent of
consumers will compliment the location owner or refer the location to
others

For 56 percent of consumers, a negative technology experience will
translate to filing an official complaint

Over 80 percent of consumers have had at least one encounter with a
technical glitch (such as failed payment processing or non-functional
Wi-Fi) as they shopped or dined; nearly 60 percent of consumers have
encountered these technical glitches multiple times

One in three respondents has encountered faulty or unavailable Wi-Fi
or incorrect information online (36 percent)

“Retail stores and restaurants should acknowledge that customers’
expectations and demands have grown to include an intuitive, seamless
technology-driven experience,” noted Mr. Kahn. “Thanks to the precedent
set by today’s digital-forward leaders, businesses large and small can
learn from these strategies and deliver a better experience to their
customers.”

About Boomtown

Boomtown’s mission is to enable a better support experience for
businesses through intelligent software and services. Through our Relay
platform, teams can communicate with their customers in engaging ways,
use automation to drive efficiency, and collaborate across organizations
to answer questions and resolve issues fast. Boomtown also has an expert
network where you can seamlessly access remote and field services to
augment your existing operations. Learn more about Boomtown at www.goboomtown.com.